I just ran into baby JD and mama Alison at a coffee shop a week or so ago, which reminded me that I had not yet shared their sweet newborn session. I can't believe how big JD has gotten! It feels like this session just happened. Alison & Bill were super low key. They almost skipped newborn photos all together assuming they would end up being too fussy, overly posed, and not really represent them as a family.

If you know anything about me, you know my passion for documenting families just as they are. My sessions are laid back, pressure-free, and simply aim to capture the real stuff in a beautiful way. We were pretty much perfect for each other.

Alison has been kind enough to share her birth story with us, so I'll let her take it from here...

My due date came and went, and I was about as uncomfortable (and subsequently grumpy) as any woman at 40 weeks pregnant. My doctor suggested we schedule an induction. I was disappointed that things weren't naturally progressing fast enough, but ready to do what needed to be done to stop being pregnant and to meet the mystery kid that I'd been carrying around for nine months. We set a date, and I spent the next few days finishing a book, eating at my favorite restaurants, and worrying about little things––you know, like giving birth and being a mom.

The day of the induction, I was scared. Unsure of what to do with myself, I cleaned my already clean apartment and made a last minute appointment on a whim to have my haircut. We went to the hospital for 9PM and after everything was set up, I was expected to try and sleep while the pitocin went to work. The baby's heart rate kept dropping slightly, so the nurses were in an out to make adjustments to my position. Around 2AM, I finally started to drift to sleep when I heard screaming from across the hall. My husband Bill sat up on the couch where he'd been resting and our eyes met. "Is that...?" he asked. "I think so," I groaned. It was another woman in labor, and while the intense sounds increased my anxiety, we both couldn't help but laugh. From that moment on, sleep was out of the question.

Labor progressed slowly, and there were multiple cervix checks. By 10AM I was fully dilated. The nurse had me do a practice push, and she didn't exactly say so but I can only assume it wasn't promising, because she announced that I needed to "labor down," or in other words, stay put and let my body do it's thing for an hour or so. Well, my body certainly did it's thing––I almost instantly started shaking and crying. In retrospect, I'm not totally sure why I was so afraid of what was ahead. I wish I would have been more positive and confident, but that's just not how it was for me. I knew everything was about to change in a major way, and even as a Marine Corps wife with frequent changes ahead, this one felt like too much was on the line. Bill did his best to keep me calm, but I needed more of a distraction. I asked him to get the book I'd brought along––an old favorite, Nine Stories by JD Salinger––and I started reading. I continued shaking, and crying too, but I kept reading, and that helped. Toward the end of the hour, I asked Bill to bring our notebook over––the one we keep by our bed at home to write down funny inside jokes that come up late at night and other nonsense we'd otherwise forget in a day or two. It also contained our lists of baby names, about 10 in each category. Thinking of my Salinger book, I turned to the boy list and added "Joseph Daniel (JD)."

The nurses returned and the book was put away. I pushed for just over an hour. I cursed myself for not sticking with those Pure Barre classes––could have used the prep for the labor workout! But finally, the baby emerged and there was so much relief all at once. My worries about motherhood and change were put to rest for awhile as I held my son against my chest. Bill took the notebook and reviewed the list of names we'd been discussing for months, and spotted the new addition he hadn't seen before. He said, "I like JD. That's the one."

If you're wondering about these last shots here, Alison has a family member (great uncle maybe, but I'm not sure I am remembering that detail correctly) who ran for state senate. I love that she found and framed this old campaign sign. Such a cool piece of her family legacy. I had to capture it.

Do you have any cool mementos or pieces of your family history that serve as home decor? Tell us about it in the comments.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

The final installment of Auden's first moments on earth...her newborn lifestyle session. This was such a sweet little session in a shared sister's room.

I absolutely love how Lauren chose to dress everyone simply and in white. Her wardrobe choices made it easy to incorporate the plethora of fun swaddle blankets and headbands in Lauren's arsenal. Can you every really have enough printed muslin swaddle blankets? (If you aren't sure, that's a no.)

Family snuggles on big sister Breelynn's bed gave way to an impromptu tea party (complete with donuts). Breelynn only pretended to feed Auden donuts and tea, but it cracks me up how it looks like she's actually partaking.

Strawberries, flamingos, and one last Little Unicorn gem...popsicles. And a fresh assortment of goodies from Breelynn's kitchen.

Do you have a favorite Little Unicorn or other muslin swaddle blanket print? Let me know in the comments so I can add it to my stash.

After Auden's crazy, whirlwind birth and immediate separation from mommy in the NICU, I couldn't NOT come back for a Fresh 48.

As soon as baby Auden was given her NICU walking papers, we made plans for me to return to the hospital for a quick Freshie. Lauren just couldn't catch a break and was now battling a fever! (Not that's you'd know it, she is still ridiculously gorgeous, but I'm sure it sucked to not feel well.

Postpartum hospital stays being limited, we couldn't exactly postpone the session. Luckily, we had big sister Breelynn to carry the show. She was such a star, sweetly loving on and helping David with her new little sister.

What was your postpartum recovery like? Did you have other little ones to help out with baby? Did you have any complications? Share your own stories in the comments.

Settle in for a story. This will be a lengthy one, but so good! Three years ago, after taking a year and a half off from photography to carry my son thru a difficult pregnancy and soak up all of that newborn time, I decided I wanted to start taking births again. Now, birth photography isn't something you can just jump right into and expect to book clients. You have to build that know/like/trust factor before mamas feel comfortable inviting you into their birth space...and forking over beaucoup bucks for your services. In order to build a solid reputation and a portfolio, I put out a model call. That's where I first heard from Catherine. She was pregnant with her third baby, Ryan and excited for the opportunity to have her birth photographed. When the time came we communicated thru her labor, but things weren't going well. Ultimately she told me not to come. Her experience so stressful, she didn't even want a Fresh 48.

Catherine is an L&D nurse at Baptist. For years I kept hoping I would run into her, but fortune primarily brought me mama's delivering at Sacred Heart. Then one day my son and I were out for a walk and we spotted a little boy about his age that had recently move into the neighborhood. We knocked on the door to say hi and maybe make a new friend. And who should answer but Catherine! And that little boy was the baby who's birth I was supposed to photograph. Small world right? (And I did eventually get to work with her in the delivery room. If you look closely, you might spot her and her baby bump in Kathryn's birth story.)

When I saw on Facebook she and Chad were expecting again, I crossed my fingers that she would reach out about birth photography...and she did! I was so excited for another opportunity...and to have an NZP baby just around the corner to love on whenever I want.

Here is the birth story in mama's own words, and a video slideshow of Rowyn's birthday:

Rowyn's birth could have very well been my last. We didn't want to find out the sex until he was born so there was a lot of anticipation and excitement. I was also hoping for and planning for a VBAC so there was a lot of excitement. But we planned and prepared for months. Chad and I took Bradley Childbirth classes with my amazing friend/coworker/doula Erin. For us, her classes were a time to learn how to remain calm and focused and in the moment, but they were also like a date night every Tuesday since it was just the hubs and I. I highly recommend Bradley classes with your support person.

When approved by my midwife, Jenny, we tried everything we could to give labor a kickstart including red raspberry leaf tea, primrose oil, accupuncture, we walked miles and I hiked my butt up and down hills and lots of stairs. I had my membranes stripped 3 times...and still nothing. My husband even tried driving me around in the old truck for a bumpy ride as a last ditch effort. The time came that we had to have some medical interventions, due to my risk factors, if I wanted to try VBAC. Medically, plans had to change last minute and I had to deliver at Sacred Heart without my midwife instead of at Baptist where I knew my work family would care so well for me. It took several conversations from very dear friends whom I love and love me to convince me that things would go just perfect, even at Sacred Heart.

Things did go just perfect. The staff was supportive of my decisions about my birth plan. My girl friends encouraged me all day, rubbed my feet and my back, and convinced me that I was able to do this. They supported my husband and I and made it such a special time for us.

My fears of complications leading to a csection started creeping into my mind when, with every contraction, I had intense pain from my previous csection scar. Dr. Andrews was so very patient with me and came to my bedside repeatedly when I asked for him because I was convinced my uterus was not resting and we were about to have an emergency. I was so scared and Dr. Andrews stood by my side, hands on my belly checking and rechecking to make sure my fears were not coming true. He was so patient and so kind. I'll never forgot his reassuring smile, even though he was probably thinking I was a little crazy!

If you know Dr. Andrews, you know he likes to crack jokes and sing. In his true comedic fashion, he wore the midwifery hat as he came to my bedside repeatedly, told jokes right through my contractions (that distracted me at least for a moment), and he came in for delivery with his booties, singing 'Shake your booties'. My midwife even came to support me through delivery, which meant so much to me. She coached me through pushing just like my mom would have if she had been there. There wasn't much coaching to do though because our sweet baby arrived in just a few pushes. I listened to my midwife whisper in my ear what to do, listened to my girlfriend and nurses cheer me on, and watched my husband as our son was born. Watching Natalie's slides of our Rowyn's birth makes me cry so many happy tears. I am so grateful to have these pictures to remember all the little things you forget. So for our next baby I will do the same, call on my neighbor, my friend, and now my photographer, Natalie.

COURTESY CONTENT ADVISORY: With Catherine's permission, this slideshow includes uncensored images of childbirth. If you prefer not to see these, stop here.

While I will never ask you to share uncensored images from your own birth, I love that Catherine offered to do so in the spirit of educating women and future mothers. Birth in our culture has become taboo to the point that most women have not a single clue what to expect. Instead of something to be celebrated, birth is overwhelmingly viewed as something scary and gross...a necessary evil and means to an end (or worse, a reason to perhaps avoid having children all together). So thanks Catherine, for your bravery in sharing your birth in it's entirety, so that others might be empowered to embrace and cherish their experience. And for showing us that, even after a nightmare birth experience, every birth is a new opportunity to be joyful and hopeful that everything will be wonderful.

Take a moment to celebrate with Catherine in the comments. Once 50 people have commented on the blog post, she & Chad will receive an 8x10 mounted print from their birth story.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

Erika Smith is the boss lady and fabulous wedding & senior photographer behind Indie Pearl Photography...and one of my back-up birth photographers. She's crazy talented and one of the most sweet and fun ladies I know. I've been privileged to get to know her (and so many other amazing creative entrepreneurs) thru The Rising Tide Society and our local Tuesday's Together chapter. Any time another amazing photographer asks me to photograph their family, I pretty much squeal with excitement and think 'You want me? You're so talented and you're choosing ME?!?!'. I imagine it's like being a contestant on The Voice and getting all four chairs to turn for you.

Anyway her family is just the cutest and we had a great time exploring downtown Pensacola, hitting the hot spots, and grabbing food here and there. Take a moment to scroll thru our adventures...

First stop Brew Ha Ha, downtown Pensacola. The Pensacola Postcard mural has been a hotspot for photography and snapshots alike. With Brew Ha Ha set to open in just a couple of weeks, I knew I'd better get out there and use it before there were always cars parked in the way. It's open now, and there are always cars in the way.

Our next stop was Dolce & Gelato for a frozen treat. Dolce boasts some amazing gelato flavors that are handmade and fresh every day.

Then after dessert we headed back over to 12th avenue for dinner at Tacos Mexicanos. That's right, dessert happened first.

Don't you just love how close and snuggly they are? I really hope that my kids have this much personality and love each other (and us) as much as Erika & Tim's kids do. They seem to genuinely enjoy being together as a family. Really, they seem more like a group of best friends and were affectionate with each other without me even having to ask. They even shared their ice cream without reservation! I'm sure Erika will probably scoff a little reading this. After all, she sees them every day and at their worst. But let me tell you, from the outside they are picture perfect and a complete joy to work with.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

Kathryn called me the day before Aislinn's scheduled newborn session to ask if we could postpone. She hated to do it, but Aislinn was just super fussy and not eating well because...tongue/lip ties. Oh man do I know that struggle. My youngest had both.

Naturally, we rescheduled. That is one of the things I love most about lifestyle newborn sessions. There is no pressure to fit that newborn session in before baby is 10 days old. I don't need my babies sleepy or pliable. I only need them snuggly. An easy requirement to meet when you're a baby. Even so, most mamas want to have those newborn photos done early and I don't get the pleasure of photographing too many 5-6 weekers. Babies are really beginning to engage and show personality at this age, and they are always especially fun to capture.

I laughed when Kathryn told me she was "feeling like a failure for waiting so long to have newborn pictures done," and assured her that we would have a wonderful session. And boy did Aislinn deliver. She worked the camera like a total pro and grinned about absolutely everything. Even the heirloom christening gown and bonnet mama wanted her picture taken in. Most babies I know would have complained about a lacey (and probably itchy) gown and bonnet, but Aislinn rocked it like it was the best outfit ever.

Big brother Bolt was so sweet and protective. I just knew it would make his day to be included in the pictures, so I asked mama to let him snuggle up on the couch with the rest of the fam. I'm pretty sure his look here is an expression of gratitude for my efforts to make sure he wasn't overlooked. I got your back little dude.

Thanks so much for stopping by to see Aislinn and her gorgeous family. I encourage you to take a moment to drop a comment below. If 50 people comment, I'll hook Kathryn & Luke up with an 8X10 mounted print from their session (valued at $40). I'm fairly certain they will choose one of Bolt. What's your vote?

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

When I met with Kelly & the kids before baby Bernadette's birth, she told me all about how her then youngest (Amelia) was born prematurely. That makes for a stressful and rather dampened postpartum experience. What Kelly was really looking forward this time around is getting to see her older kids meet and hold the new baby right away, something they didn't get to experience with Amelia being in the NICU. Because of Amelia's premature birth, there was still a risk Baby B would come early. Thankfully, she made it to the desired date and was delivered at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola via scheduled c-section. Keep scrolling to read the birth story in Kelly's own words:

We knew our baby's birthday a month in advance. It was the strangest feeling knowing the date and time I would go to the hospital to bring our fourth child into the world. It certainly made planning for the big day easier but it was still very bizarre. When it finally arrived, we packed the car in the wee hours of the morning after kissing our big kids goodbye and assuring them they'd see us later that day with their new sibling. A brother or sister? Only time would tell since we'd chosen to be surprised at delivery.

Arriving to the quiet hospital, we made our way to L&D and were greeted by cheerful nurses who got us into a triage room right away to prep me for my c-section. Everything was going well until my blood pressure dropped drastically bringing on waves of nausea, chills, and fear that today might not go as planned. Thankfully, after 4 liters of fluids and some oxygen, I felt well enough to wobble my big belly down to the OR with the fear subsiding and excitement taking its place.

Once inside the chilly room, I met the team that would bring my baby into the world. The anesthesiologist assured me it would be an inferno soon enough- a disco inferno that is- and turned on some music. As final preparations were made, we listened to Rihanna and Justin Timberlake and my nerves began to get the better of me again. When my husband finally joined us, his calming presence helped settle me as the doctors began their work. I tried to focus on the music and prayed our baby would not be born to Britney Spears' "Toxic."

There was tugging and pulling and a question about how I scar and then they gave Daniel a 2 minute warning that it was almost time for his big job. He was the one who would tell me if the baby was a son or a daughter. And before I knew it, I heard a cry amidst Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" and my husband's voice saying, "It's a girl! It's Bernadette!" Tears filled my eyes and a flood of emotions overcame me.

Her pregnancy had been a stressful one filled with almost weekly appointments to make sure my baby was healthy. The tests were always borderline which meant we didn't know until a week before her arrival that she'd be full term. I was relieved, I was overjoyed, and I completely taken by the sight of my husband holding our beautiful little girl with her full head of hair and scrunched up face. Bernadette Raenelle was finally here. As the doctors stitched me up, Daniel placed her in my arms and I marveled at the miracle of this little girl who was loved from the moment we found out she was growing inside me.

After a short time in recovery, we went to our room and eagerly awaited the big siblings to arrive. The looks on their faces as they met their new sister was unforgettable. As they piled onto my bed to kiss her and hug her and ask a million questions about her, I couldn't believe how blessed we were to have these beautiful children, four little miracles for us to love, to nurture and to watch as they make their way in the world. Bernadette's joyous arrival will be a memory we will treasure all of our days.

I can't get over the sweetness and the kids faces as they get to hold and marvel over their newest baby sister. Which moments here are your favorite? Please leave a comment for Dan & Kelly and help them reach 50 comments to earn a FREE 8x10 mounted print from their Fresh 48 session.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas of the Gulf Coast. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth photography and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

Baby P's Fresh 48 at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, FL was nothing short of utterly lovely. With the threat of a rainy weekend looming, mama Melissa bravely decided to take the opportunity for good window light and go ahead with our session just 17 hours after an emergency C-section. It was plain to see she wasn't feeling great, but her decision to rally really paid off. These are some of my favorite Fresh 48 images to date.

Even though this wasn't a birth session, I still love a good birth story and Melissa was kind enough to share hers. Here it is in her own words:

I went to my Week 39 appointment on a Wednesday morning, assuming I’d get the same update I’d heard at previous appointments, that there were no signs of impending delivery.

First up was an ultrasound, and the tech said the amniotic fluid was borderline low. When I saw the doctor, she said, “We can induce today, or we can induce Monday, but I won’t let you go past Monday.” I had her reassure me that she didn’t anticipate a big difference in outcomes between inducing that day versus the following Monday, and she said the difference would just be the chance of spontaneous labor. I said, “I don’t want to worry all weekend,” so she said, “Then let’s do it today.” Aside from not wanting to worry for several days, I had read a lot about stillbirth (my biggest fear at the time) and felt better about induction outcomes for Week 39 instead of Week 40 anyway.

I was in shock but excited. I called my husband, Rick, to tell him the good news and met him at home, where we ate ham and eggs, and I finished packing my hospital bag. Sidebar: Thank you to everyone who advised me to eat beforehand even if I wasn't hungry! We stopped to put gas in the car and checked in at the hospital at about 2:30 p.m.

I knew inductions could take a long time, so once the nurses had started my IV and inserted the first dose of induction meds, I was prepared for the long haul. We flipped through TV channels and stopped to watch a Milo Ventimiglia interview on “Ellen” when the nurses rushed in and said, “Turn on your side. Turn on your side.” The baby’s heartbeat had decelerated, and moving me helped stabilize it.

We’d been there all of 45 minutes at that point, and things started progressing quickly. I don’t remember the exact order of events, but the nurses rushed in a second time to turn me and give me an oxygen mask, my water broke, I was able to get an epidural (yes!), and they inserted a fetal monitor that attached to the baby’s head (ouch — more painful than the epidural). The epidural was a welcome relief, but I was very still nervous about the whether the baby was OK.

When the nurses came in a third time to move me around and the baby was not responding how they wanted, one of the nurses said, “OK, we’re done” and called for the doctor. My baby was not going to tolerate labor. Before I knew it, I was scribbling my signature on consent paperwork for an emergency C section.

My doctor had yet to arrive, so the doctor delivering next door met us at the operating room. As they wheeled me into the room, she said something like, “Do you give me verbal permission to go into your belly to save your baby?” I said, “Yes.” I couldn’t believe the words I was hearing — not so much the surgery stuff, but the “your baby” part. It’s not like I didn’t know he was coming, but I continued to feel surprised by the fact that I was becoming a mom throughout my pregnancy and even after my baby was born.

From cut to delivery, the doctor had baby out in a minute flat, at 6:28 p.m. And then I heard a baby cry. My baby. It was surreal. He was real, he was mine, he was here. It happened so quickly that Rick had yet to get from the delivery room to the OR. Someone yelled that the baby was healthy and “as pink as can be.”

We found out that the umbilical cord had been wrapped around the baby's neck and had a knot in it, which someone showed me afterward. Once Rick arrived, he brought the baby over to me. I cried with relief that our son was here and healthy. How could I be so lucky?

We were moved to a recovery room, where I was able to hold and feed my baby for the first time. Rick and I prayed over our baby, thanking God for this amazing little person we’ve been so lucky to bring into the world. Shortly after that, the baby had to be taken to the nursery to be warmed up — his temp was not quite where they wanted to see it. We were moved to the room where we would stay for the next few days, and a nurse brought him back within an hour or two.

I’m so grateful that everything went the way it did — that I followed my instinct and didn’t wait to be induced, that I had the epidural, which allowed me to stay awake through the C section and hear my baby’s first cries and that an excellent doctor was there to take care of us. If I had not had the epidural, I would have been under general anesthesia and could have woken up without from surgery without my baby there. I can’t even imagine. C sections are tough enough. During surgery, the doctor also removed a fibroid the size of an egg, which I assume I'd still have, had I not had a C section.

I feel so lucky that I had such a great experience under the circumstances and that we got to take home our sweet little boy that weekend.

I love how Melissa has been able to find the sweetness in every moment of her birth experience. In reality, nothing happened as she'd hoped it would. Right down to Baby P's (secret) namesake getting sick and being unable to visit baby in the hospital for the big name reveal. Still, she never showed disappointment about her experience and remained only joyful & grateful for her healthy baby.

The new grandparents were obviously pretty thrilled too. Literally everyone was over the moon to meet baby P, but Rick's mom wins the prize for 'best meet the baby' expressions. Some of the best ever. This little man sure is blessed to have such close, strong, and gentle people to love him and call him their own.

If you have enjoyed this story, take a moment to leave a comment. Once 50 people have commented Melissa & Rick will receive a FREE 8x10 mounted print from their session (a $40 value).

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

I am constantly trying to be more intentional about taking photos of my own kids. You know, with the fancy camera I use to take everyone else's pictures as opposed to just my iPhone. It's a struggle. I'd love to take it everywhere, but it's heavy and expensive. When there are other goals for the day, like having fun or making sure kids don't get lost/hurt (I'm a total helicopter mom), the last thing I want to do is lug around a piece of equipment and worry about it getting lost, stolen or damaged.

I had this idea to start taking them on mini local adventures, with the singular goal of capturing them exploring and having fun. And keeping it short so I'm not committed to lugging a camera around for an extended period of time.

For this first one, we stuck close to home. Our neighborhood is a new development and there are large pieces of land on either side also awaiting development. Every time I drive by, the glorious afternoon light catches my eye. Checking out my sun positioning app, I noticed that one of these properties had what must have been a driveway that extended much farther than it seemed from the road. So I grabbed the kids one beautiful Friday and dragged them out for a little hike.

Isla was actually pretty dang unhappy about the whole thing. She hates having her picture taken and is at that age where there is just attitude about everything. This day was no different and there was a lot of sulking (and me telling her to suck it up and act happy for 10 minutes). But once I got her running and twirling the blanket all around, she started to have a little bit of fun and give me the carefree expressions I was hoping for. Whew!

Jack-Jack is always happy to ham it up for me though. He takes direction well and is never stingy with his smiles. He had such a great time chasing his sister around.

We only spent about 20 minutes walking around and exploring this great little spot. The light and texture of the underbrush yielded some pretty awesome images. I'm already looking forward to our next photo adventure.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

When a family books me for a newborn session, or any in home session, I always ask about their style and decor. It helps me to begin to visualize the session in advance and coordinate any wraps or blankets I might want to bring, just in case the family doesn't have something they want to use.

When I received April's questionnaire back, she told me that they don't really have a style. They just decorate to their tastes and interests. She also told me about her cat Tugg, who is a treasured family member. April was excited to be having a girl and decorating the nursery with a cat theme. HOWEVER, some of the decor was being hand made by a grandmother and April hadn't seen it, wasn't even sure if it would be done before the newborn session.

I'm sure you're probably thinking the same thing I was...a handmade-by-grandma cat themed nursery has the potential to veer into the realm of 'yikes'.

Well hop on over here and have a slice of humble pie with me, because it was the most wonderfully fun and adorable nursery, with such a genuine feeling of warmth and sentimentality. Like an heirloom quilt that you just want to wrap yourself up in on a cold day. The custom felted wool cat mobile was my absolute favorite.

April and Ray were just as genuine and warm as the nursery. April claimed they would probably be awkward in front of the camera, but NO. Everyone was perfectly natural and ultra snuggly, which is always the best. They were a complete joy to hang out with and photograph for the morning.

Big brother Charlie was a ridiculous ham. We bonded over our shared love of avocado toast. And naturally, baby Caroline was perfectly sweet in her ruffle butt bloomers. Check them all out and, if you would, take a moment to leave a quick comment at the end. You will help April & Ray earn a free mounted 8x10 print from Caroline's newborn session. Fifty commenters are needed.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

After all of these births, telling all of these beautiful stories, it finally hit me that I shouldn't be telling these stories at all. I should be collecting birth stories from my mamas. You, the reader, should be hearing it all from the mother's perspective before you see it from mine. I so often say that the mother experiences birth so differently from everyone else in the room, and I am kind of obsessed with hearing how women experienced their own birth. Now I am excited to be able to celebrate and share some of those stories with you here. I hope they will become a source of inspiration, reference, and direction for my expecting readers.

Kathryn has been kind enough to share, in her own words, her experience bringing baby Aislinn into the world at Baptist Hospital Pensacola, using Hypnobabies and with the support of Pensacola doula Amber Roman of Belly to Cradle. I have seen a lot of labors, and this one struck me as particularly long and difficult. The energy in the room was very subdued, and even after delivery things were very quiet and calm. It was eye-opening to hear Kathryn's side of the story...

Forty weeks and three days. That’s how long I had grown my baby, how long I had carried my miracle, when I was awoken at 1:30am. I thought I just had to go to the bathroom for the 100th time that night, like every other night in my third trimester, but this time was a little different. I felt like I wasn’t quite going to make it and when I sat down…gush! Water poured. Half asleep, and half in shock, I sat there talking to myself like any normal person- “Is this my water breaking? No, that doesn’t happen. I think this is my waters. My water broke. No, no it didn’t. It’s still going. This is it.” They say to remember that birth is nothing like what you see in the movies. The whole water breaking out of nowhere, then contractions starting, and rushing to the hospital isn’t a common reality. They say only 10% of women have their water break before labor begins. I guess I made the 10%. I climbed back into bed, woke my husband Luke, and then texted my doula. She called me and talked through what was going on with me, how the coming hours may play out and when we will need to head to the hospital. All things we had talked through in our meetings, but just a little different since my water broke first. I sent my husband to the guest room to get some sleep while I laid down to try and get any rest I could between contractions.

Let me pause to say, having a doula is the single best decision you can make for labor. Natural or medicated, vaginal or c-section, well trained doulas are life giving. My doula, Amber Roman of Belly to Cradle, is phenomenal. From birth education, to delivery, to postpartum, she was a rock for us and we are so grateful to her for her friendship and services. We decided that utilizing hypnobabies would be the best option for me and my personality when it came to labor techniques for birthing, especially considering my goal was to do this all natural. Hypnobabies trains the mind and body to remain extremely relaxed, yet allow the mind to also be highly aware and focused. The concept of self-hypnosis may sound super weird to you, but it was the best when it came to birth for me. I can’t talk about it highly enough.

Sometime mid morning, between 9 and 10 I think, Amber came over to help us get everything together and as always, present our options. Based on my contractions and the fact that my water broke, we went on to the hospital. This was it. We were going to meet our baby girl! From the second my water broke until the end of the transition phase, I was in my Hypnobabies zone. I was calm, using my breathing and mindset techniques during each contraction (or “birthing wave” if we use the lingo). I’m pretty sure my eyes were closed the entire birth and the concept of time was out the window. I labored in bed for while, with my husband and mom nearby providing great support. Amber helped me walk halls, massaged and applied counter pressure, cooled me with wet rags, let me smell peppermint oil for nausea, told me when I needed to change positions, reminded me of my options, made sure I was drinking water, let me know when I could get into the tub for pain relief, and prayed over me when it was the end and I was starting to lose my focus. I felt safe and secure. I was free to labor without worrying about anything else because I had my people.

I labored for 19 hours. It didn’t seem anywhere near that long to me. I listened to my Hypnobabies tracks and stayed in my own world it seemed. Towards the end things were getting intense and my body started to push by itself so they asked me if I was ready to push her out. I pushed for an hour and a half. It was the toughest part for me, not because of pain but because of the effort pushing took. I’d say it was because of her position. Even though it was the hardest part to me it still only felt more like 30 minutes. With my eyes still closed, I remember feeling my husband lift my head up for each push, giving me a sip of water and then holding the oxygen mask over my face until it was time to do it all again. He was amazing. I remember my mother’s sweet and soft voice telling me she could see her head and that I was doing so good. I can still feel her calming touch. Amber held my leg and encouraged me all the way.

Born with arms crossed, hands on either side of her face, announcing to the world she had arrived, our sassy and beautiful baby girl arrived on January 8, 2018, at 8:25pm. Aislinn Rhys was placed on my chest and I was in love.

I know that my birth team and place of birth makes all the difference. I called them the dream team and that they certainly were. Doula: Amber Roman. Photographer: Natalie Zepp Weber. Midwife: Jenny Allen. OB: Dr. Allison. Birth: at Baptist Hospital. Basically, I tell everyone they need these incredible women for their birth, without question.

A final note, I’m so thankful we decided to spring for a birth photographer. Natalie was incredible and she captured moments I never would’ve seen or remembered. My eyes were closed, remember? Haha! These are images I will cherish for all my days. Thank you, Natalie

Are you considering Hypnobabies for your birth? Did you use it? We'd love to hear from you. Each person that comments helps Kathryn & Luke earn a free 8x10 mounted print from their birth session. They need 50 people, so leave a few words to get them there.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

I am so excited to get to share the Isabella's birth at Pensacola's Baptist Hospital. I had 2 mamas due near the new year, and I just KNEW one of them would deliver on New Year's Day. The night before was a full moon and, as I have said many times before, full moons and bad weather always brings the babies.

I got up early (per usual) and checked my phone...no texts. So maybe I was wrong. Normally I wouldn't be in any hurry to get out of my PJs on a school/work holiday, but something prompted me to go ahead and wash and blow dry my hair...before coffee. Well sure enough, at about 8:45 my phone dinged with a text from Alexis's sister Averee. Averee is a doula and soon-to-be certified midwife in Montana and I was thrilled when Alexis told me she would be here until the baby arrive and would provide me with progress updates during labor. Her text told me that Alexis had been in labor since about 2 am, but she thought it would be a while yet. (Side note...unless you have a trained professional with you to monitor your progress during labor, DO NOT wait 7 hours to tell me that you're in labor. Even if it's the middle of the night and you think you have a while and should give me the courtesy of a good night's rest. You shouldn't.)

I set my gear by the door and laid out my scrubs, ready to jump up and go. Well 'go time' came just a few hours later after a sudden and rapid progression and an 11:24AM text that read "We're FLYING out the door!". A mere twenty minutes later as I approached the hospital, came another text saying that Lex had made quick progress. The rest of labor was just as rapid, but I still arrived in plenty of time to capture Luis and Averee helping Alexis thru her labor. It was so sweet to watch husband and sister work together to encourage and do what they could to ease mamas pain.

Just as the nurses were getting worried that the midwife, Jenny Allen, might not make it in time, she flew thru the door...not even having stopped to stow her sweatshirt and car keys. After a few minutes in the tub, and a few minutes pushing, baby slid right out into daddy's waiting hands. Before I could even register that the baby was out, Luis was proclaiming "It's a GIRL!".

Introducing (again)...Isabella Grace.

Click play for the full story (Fair warning, there are freshly birthed baby and breastfeeding images in this slideshow.)

As hard as it is to wait until delivery to find out your baby's gender, the excitement and expressions always make for the most wonderful photographic moments. Especially when excited grandparents pour into the room, tears brimming the rims of their eyes and hands clapping together over the the big reveal. (How about those sweet elated grandma faces and grandpas snapping pictures with their cell phones? I DIED!) Moments like that make it 100% worth the wait.

Did you wait to find out your baby's gender? Do you wish you had or will you next time? Let us know in the comments. You comments also count toward the 50 needed to earn Alexis & Luis a free 8x10 mounted print from their birth session. I'm sure they will appreciate your words.

Natalie

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

I've been photographing the Wilson's for longer than I can even remember...without doing some math. But who wants to do math? So let's just say a long time. Melissa is a photographer too. One of the only photographers in Pensacola who I trust with my own family photos.

(Melissa is also one of my back up birth photographers. So to all of my expectant mamas, if I absolutely have to send someone to your birth in my place, you might just get Melissa. I assure you, you will love her as much as I do.)

What I love most about our sessions is that Melissa and Ace are always up for anything. Always willing to indulge my ideas for lifestyle sessions. I think I'm really beginning to rub off on her, because this time Melissa came to me with a kick butt idea. A donut shop family session at their favorite place, Maynard's Donut Company. Having been secretly hoping that another client would ask for me to document their Saturday morning walks to Krispy Kreme (you know who you are), I jumped on it.

Melissa and Ace were perfect as always, but Juliet was the real star of the show. She was SERIOUS about her donuts. She took absolutely every single chance she possibly could to grab and stuff more donuts into her mouth. When mom and dad finally said 'no more', oh buddy there were tears. Big, pitiful, make you want to give her all of the donuts in the case kind of tears. Click play to see it all.

A HUGE thanks to Danny at Maynard's for letting us invade and distracting all of your other customers with our shenanigans.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

The Wheelers are a fantastic crew, so full of joy and life. How could you not be with 4 amazing kids? Nate is the pastor of our church and I've gotten to know Rachel pretty well serving on the MOPS steering team and for a brief period of time, running (read: dying) together after dropping kids off at school.

When Rachel inquired about a family lifestyle photo session, I knew immediately how I wanted to approach the session. But I kept it to myself. I wanted to hear from Rachel first and see what she thought would be important to capture. So I sent her my usual questionnaire, designed to get clients to tell me all about those things that make their family interesting and unique.

Now I can't even count how many times I have heard about the 'garage band' that the Wheeler kids have started. For a while there, Nate used the Jesus Cruisers (as the oldest boys Britain & Noah dubbed the band) to illustrate his point in every other sermon or so. He's told so many stories of their musical escapades and 'concerts', that I really couldn't believe it when I got the questionnaire back and there was no mention of the band whatsoever. There is a question that asks if you would like my help figuring out what to do for your session...that box was checked 'yes'.

Are we as parents just so enmeshed in the day-to-day, that we can't recognize those magical little idiosyncrasies that make our family OUR FAMILY? Those things that our children do that we will forever recount the stories of? Those small traditions that will become defining aspects of 'childhood' for our kids? If I'm honest with myself, I think maybe we are. Or at least we have a hard time seeing any of those things as interesting enough to build a photoshoot around.

I immediately replied to Rachel with the concept of an open air Jesus Cruisers concert with her and Nate as the audience. Sure, the kids usually do their concerts in their bedroom, likely NOT dressed in perfectly coordinating neutral toned outfits. But that isn't the point. The point is to celebrate the everyday moments in fun and beautiful ways.

With Rachel on board we set about planning, finding a location, and coordinating outfits. Because I am a sucker for detail shots to round out a story, I asked her to have the kids make a sign with their band name on it and tickets to the show. I couldn't be more excited about the end result. I feel like it really captures the imagination and childhood ability to dream boldly, without fear of failure. But most importantly, I know we've got a visual record to a story that these kids will certainly be telling their own children about 30 years from now. And who knows...maybe there's a future album cover shot in there somewhere.

Click play to see the show!

If you're sitting there thinking my kids would never be so well behaved during a photoshoot, I will tell you a little secret. The actual shoot was total chaos. Naomi didn't want to be the lead singer and was prone to tears over it. Josiah was so enthusiastic about his role as keyboardist that he would periodically break from the 'stage' for a celebratory run thru the grass...usually right about the time all of the other kids were looking perfect. Noah (the drummer) and Britain (guitarist) only had about a song and a half in them before they became more interested in wrestling with each other and climbing trees. We also totally forgot about the tickets until we were packing up to leave. Once all the kids were buckled into the car, I snagged Nate and Rachel for one last detail shot.

And you know what? That's all ok! No one is perfect and perfect is boring. I'll choose imperfections and misbehaving every single time. Because it's real (and because I love to leave a shoot tired and sweaty so I can count it as exercise). So if you're sitting there dreaming about your next family photos, but dreading the idea of trying to corral your kids into the perfect grouping and coaxing smiles out of them...just stop. Bring your bedlam to me and we'll make some magic!

Thanks so much for reading and watching! If you would be so kind as to leave a comment below, you will help to earn Nate and Rachel a FREE 8x10 mounted print from their session. They need 50 people to comment before they can claim their reward.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

Rebekah is another one of those friends that I've had with me before we were even earthside. Our moms were pregnant with us together (are are still besties).

We've been in and out of touch over the years (mostly because she is forever picking up and moving away), but the roots run deep despite the changing of the seasons. And we've always reconnected...most frequently over babies. A whole continent apart (Florida to Alaska), we've encouraged each other thru big life choices, miscarriages, those scary early days of pregnancy after a miscarriage...

Then there was that time she sent me a message (from Hawaii) to say she was 5 weeks pregnant with her second baby, to which I replied I was also 5 weeks pregnant with my second baby. Talk about history repeating! We had our boys just a couple of weeks apart and in the same hospital, with the same doctor no less. I went first though, so obviously I wasn't able to photograph her birth then...actually no one was able to, because he was nearly born in the parking lot.

We didn't have super high hopes that I would make it in time for #3. Nonetheless Bekah, promised to call me and I promised to try and be there. When the call came, we ended up having plenty of time. Even Corban's exit from the womb was slow...almost languid. Which made for some pretty incredible pictures that I can't ever show you. What I can show you is still pretty amazing and beautiful. Everybody, meet Corban:

Shout out to midwife Jenny Allen, doula Amber Roman (Belly to Cradle), and the wonderful nurses at Baptist Hospital for making sure I had time, space, and light to capture all of the important moments. And of course, to dad Scott, who kept us all laughing...even when I caught him crying.

Don't forget to leave a comment below to help earn Scott & Rebekah a free 8x10 mounted print from this session.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

Jimmy and Tavia are lovers of travel, adventure, hiking, and camping. You might think having kids would change that, but expanding their family by two hasn't slowed them down one bit. They even run a blog, Big Brave Nomad, recounting their wanderings and providing tips on traveling with little ones in tow.

When baby Latham turned one last month, Tavia asked how we might incorporate something travel related into his cake smash session. I mean, if you're going to shell out the dollars for a first birthday/family session, you might as well get something you can also use for your biz too, right? Right!

Knowing their love of camping and exploring the outdoors, I suggested a lifestyle session built around a camping trip. Nature walks, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over a blazing fire...that kind of thing.

I won't lie and say I haven't been dreaming up a family camping lifestyle session for a while now. I'm so freaking lucky to have clients like the Carlsons, who totally trust my vision and are 100% on board when I pitch an idea like booking a glamping tent at Coldwater Gardens in Milton for their session. I also won't lie and say that I am not completely obsessed with this little oasis in the middle of nowhere. OBSESSED.

In addition to the glamping tents, the accommodations include beach camping on the river, eco-cabins, an incredible modern tree house. Everything is so stylish and well maintained. We had such a great time glamping, hiking the nature trails, playing on the playground, and exploring the gardens and green houses.

Click play below to check out the full story of our outdoor adventure.

The cake smash was also pretty epic. Those shots didn't exactly fit into the story for the video slideshow, so here they are on their own. The smash cake is a simple chantilly cake from Publix. As a bonus, it came free with a giant full sized cake. Which was great, because Latham crawled over, sat in, and smashed rocks into his cake.

Apparently, one year old boys get mad when you won't let them eat their cake covered rocks. To cheer him up, leave a comment below. Once 50 people have commented I will send the Calrsons a FREE 8X10 mounted print of one of my favorite images from their session.

If you haven't already, make sure you hop on over here to watch Latham's birth story and here for his newborn session. I can't believe it's been a whole year! Happy Birthday little man!

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.

The Colegrove crew came all the way from South Carolina this summer to spend a week on Pensacola Beach. With six kids ranging in ages from 8 to 23 years old, they have reached that point in a family's existence where it is difficult to get everyone together at the same time.

Mama Tanya was smart to capitalize on a family beach vacation and snag some photos of them on the beach, having fun before they headed back to the real world.

We had one of those ethereal sunsets on the cusp of a storm. Beautifully soft and glowy, with interesting clouds.

There were seagulls EVERYWHERE, flocking in and out of all of our pictures. I love how the birds echo the movements of the family.

One of the middle brothers suggested we end out session with a race. The resulting images are joyous, carefree, and easily my most favorite of the entire session.

Leave a comment for the Colegroves. Once 50 people have commented, I will send them a FREE 8X12 print of my favorite image from their session.

Natalie is a lifestyle family photographer serving Pensacola, FL and surrounding areas. With a passion for capturing candid family moments, she specializes in birth and newborn lifestyle photography. Natalie lives in Pensacola with her husband and two (very difficult to photograph) children. Besides photography, she has a passion for modern sewing projects and graphic design.